Putting Right What Once Went Wrong 1
by Eliza Donelittle
Summary: First of series of short stories changing the endings that I hated of books, films, and TV shows. This one changes the ending of the finale of You, Me and the Apocalypse, a TV show about a group of people and the last few days before a comet strikes Earth.


_Author's note_

 _I've been thinking for a while about doing a series of short stories about alternative endings for TV shows, films and books where I hated the ending. This is the first one but there will be others…. I've called the series Putting Right What Once Went Wrong after the tag line for Quantum Leap (and that's one of the TV shows I have in mind)._

You, Me and the Apocalypse - A Different Ending

'Mom, look at me,' Spike said to Rhonda. 'Don't look at the monitor.'

Rhonda was staring at the image of Rajesh, her husband left outside the bunker. Spike took her hands and pulled her away so she couldn't see it.

'Look at me,' he instructed her.

They gazed into each other's eyes and so didn't see what was happening on the screen behind her.

Rajesh sprawled on the ground, propped against the side of the truck exhausted. He could feel the churned up earth beneath his trembling limbs and the roughness of a tire against his back. He was watching the last fireworks display that humanity would ever see. Great balls of fire hurtled through the air and fell, making the ground shudder with every impact. Rajesh winced at the noise of the explosions. But he felt a great sense of achievement. He had done it. He had closed the door to the bunker. Rhonda and her son Spike were safe. Rhonda was safe physically and even more importantly, safe from becoming a monster. Rajesh thanked the gods that he had been able to convince Rhonda that his terminal illness meant he was the best choice to stay behind to drive the truck into the bunker door to make sure it shut.

Rajesh relived the last few frantic minutes. He hadn't been able to stop her from shooting the truck driver to get him and the others a means of transport to the bunker. She had justified that action by saying that the man had only had a few minutes to live any way and Rajesh couldn't run in his condition. But when the outside door to the bunker had got stuck, she had pulled a gun on Larsson, her mother's henchwoman.

'You don't need to be in the bunker. You can drive the truck into the door.'

Rajesh hadn't believed his ears. Could his lovely, sweet, good Rhonda have been changed so much by her stay in jail? He moved to her side.

'Rhonda, listen to me. I should be the one to drive the truck, I only have a few months to live anyway.'

Rhonda stared at him. 'Are you giving up on me? I won't let you.'

'Rhonda, listen, if you knew how much pain I'm in, you would let me do this.'

She stared at him a while longer and then reluctantly nodded her head. The others lost no time in slipping inside the bunker, Spike dragging Rhonda along.

Then the truck had stalled because of a large boulder in the way. And a small group of strangers had appeared, staggering into the bunker. He had leaned out of the window and called to the last one, a man dressed only in a tee shirt and boxer shorts.

'Help me to move this truck and shut the door.'

'But then I'll be on the outside,' the man had pointed out.

'But if you don't help me, none of your friends or family will survive.'

The man had taken seconds to decide and then he was looking for something to help move the boulder.

Rajesh wondered where the man had gone. He hadn't noticed, concentrating on driving the truck. He wanted to thank for helping him to get the truck moving.

Rajesh heard movement near him. He turned his head to see the stranger now wearing a shirt and jeans, crawling towards him.

'How?' he started to say but was interrupted by the man.

'I'm his twin. I attacked him but he managed to fight me off. Help me. I must get in there. I deserve to be in there. It's me who saved Layla not him.'

'I'm sorry but it's too late,' Rajesh told him.

Inside the bunker, Jamie stared at TV screen, which had blanked out as the comet hit. He was struggling to come to terms with all that had happened, his quest to find out the truth and find Layla. He had time now, he told himself, all the time in the world. Time for a reunion with his long lost wife and time to get to know his newly discovered daughter, Frankie. Now, his thoughts were with his twin brother who was outside the bunker and about to die. Even though Ariel had turned out to be a psychopathic murdering bastard, he still felt sad that he had never had the chance to get to know him, would never have that chance now because Ariel was on the outside while the comet destroyed the earth and Jamie was safe inside.


End file.
